The Invisible hamster

[subaru]

hello fellow hamster owners,

I hope everyone is well. I have some questions. I am not new to hamsters (hamster owner for 8 years) but this is the first time I've had a hamster do behavior like this and looking for some advice to make it easy for me and my hamster.

some basics on my hamster:

Name: Junhee (Jun-hee)
hamster type: Chinese dwarf
sex: Male (?) (photo attached)
age: at least 2-3 months old

Junhee came home on Oct 30 to a 40 galloon tank. I left him alone for a week to let him settle in. Then I had tragic hit my life with the loss of my grandma and I had to leave him for a week and left him in the care of a roommate. she isn't fond of him but would do the basics for him, food, water and clean his wheel but when it came to handling him it was just a no.
I have returned and gave him time again to adjust to me being in the room. But I barely see him. I can't figure out his sch. He gets up at odd times that isn't the same time as the next. One night he will get up at 11 pm other nights 2-3 am or sometimes I don't see him at all. Its hard to tame him if I don't see him. So my question is does he need more time ? I have stayed up until 2-3 am in the morning in hopes of seeing him. When I do I allow him a treat (still won't get in my hand but will take it at least). If I turn a light on he bolts. Sometimes when I get near the cage he will bolt too. I just don't want him to end up not being able to be handled and scared of me.

thanks everyone
Subaru

p.s- is Junhee a boy? I've been told he is and believe he is.

[cypher]

Looks like a boy to me.
It sounds as though he's just had too much time to settle in alone & get into his own ways without interacting with you.
I would go back to the beginning with taming, if he bolts when the lights are on then try using just a lamp to begin with, spend lots of time talking to him so he can get used to you being around, it might be worth doing the tissue trick to so he can get used to your scent. (Put some plain white toilet tissue up your sleeve for a while then shred it a bit & put it in the cage.)
If he doesn't begin to respond soon then you may do better to get him out for short handling sessions in a play bin or some safe area where he'll feel fairly secure, put substrate & some toys in, keep sessions short to begin with & just let him begin getting used to your hands & interacting with him.